Moveable apparatuses having robotic manipulators and conveyors to facilitate object movement

US9393686B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• Industrial Perception, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Gary Bradski · Palo Alto, US
• Steve Croft · Scotts Valley, US
• Kurt Konolige · Menlo Park, US
• Ethan Rublee · Mountain View, US
• Troy Straszheim · Palo Alto, US
• John Zevenbergen · San Francisco, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 14, 2014
• Grant date: Jul 19, 2016
• Expiry date: Oct 15, 2034

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10S901/47
• WIPO field: Audio-visual technology
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

Example embodiments provide for robotic apparatuses that facilitate moving objects within an environment, such as to load or unload boxes or to construct or deconstruct pallets (e.g., from a container or truck bed). One example apparatus includes a horizontal conveyor and a robotic manipulator that are both provided on a moveable cart. A first end of the robotic manipulator is mounted to the moveable cart and a second end of the robotic manipulator has an end effector, such as a grasper. The apparatus also includes a control system configured to receive sensor data indicative of an environment containing a plurality of objects, and then cause the robotic manipulator to place an object from the plurality of objects on the horizontal conveyor.